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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — a gift
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — to recline
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. present — the time now
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — there
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. swing — music
  22. prune — to trim
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com